GADGET UPDATE powered by Stuff: iPad 3, Caterpillar, MWC and more

The week's round-up of the latest gadgets and reviews. Powered by Stuff Magazine.

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Free-to-play Microsoft Flight unveiled

Microsoft Flight Simulator fans rejoice! A free-to-play version of the classic flight sim, dubbed Microsoft Flight, has been released. Set in Hawaii, the simulator lets you pick a bird from a range of aircraft including historical beasts and modern beauties. Would-be pilots can build up experience and develop a career by collecting points. Microsoft Flight also lets you undertake challenges and go on adventures. Read more...

Kinect shopping trolley trialled

Your weekly food shop could get a whole lot techier with a Kinect shopping trolley. US hippy-supermarket Whole Foods is trialling a Kinect-powered shopping trolley at one of its stores.

Scan your loyalty card and the shopping trolley will follow you around the shop in a slightly stalker-esque way. Add a shopping list and it will check off the products as you add them using a built-in scanner. The trolley also reads out your purchases in an unsettling robot voice. Helpful? Yes. Unless you're shopping for loo roll. Read more...

Best iPhone apps this week

The iPad 3 might be days away but there's still fun to be had on your small iOS screen with these apps. Read more....

Caterpillar to launch Android tough phone

Caterpillar is working on a tough Android smartphone to rival the likes of JCB's Toughphone and the Motorola/JCB limited edition Defy+, Stuff can exclusively reveal. The Caterpillar-branded handset is set to drop next week, most likely at the CeBit 2012 trade show in Hanover, Germany according to our manufacturer's consultant source. Read more...

Mystery accessory to be released with the iPad 3?

As Apple rumours go, this is an odd one. We're hearing reports that an accessory, known only by its codename B82, will be launched alongside the iPad 3 and new Apple TV on March 7th.

It isn't known if the B82 is designed to work with the iPad 3, the rumoured Apple TV, or even both.

Rumour suggests the new Apple TV will have Bluetooth 4.0, so it could be a snazzy new remote control. Read more...

MWC 2012 – Quad-core arms race is ridiculous, says Microsoft

We're drowning in quad-core smartphones here in Barcelona and the MWC show floor is saturated with pocket powerhouses. But are all those extra Ghzs really necessary? Windows Phone director Aaron Woodman doesn't seem to think so.

We asked the Windows Phone head honcho what he thought of the influx of quad-core smartphones given that Windows Phone 7.5 handsets were light in the Ghz-packing department, and he answered by stating that "the quad-core arms race is ridiculous". Read more...